To guarantee the self-consistency of the result, only one sample should be used in the characterization procedure. Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) is one of the methods which can characterize all material constants only using one sample.In this paper, the principle and the implementation procedure of RUS in the characterization of piezoelectric materials are described. Its advantages and shortcomings are analyzed. In addition, the principle and the implementation procedure of the RUS technique used in the nondestructive evaluation of the homogeneity of relaxor-based single crystals are described by taking the evaluation of a Mn doped 23PIN-48PMN-29PT single crystal sample as an example.The results show that the homogeneity can be effective evaluating by RUS.

resonant ultrasound spectroscopy(RUS); piezoelectric materials; relaxor-based single crystals; full matrix constants; nondestructive evalution